Just trying to survive growing older with as much dignity as I can muster considering dignity was never my strong suit to begin with.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

MAYBERRY RFD, WHERE ARE YOU?

I think a lot of us yearn for a place, full of family life, gentle ways, raising vegetables in our own garden, visiting with friends over the fence, movies on a Saturday night and a trip at noon to the local cafe where you meet friends for lunch. A town where the best clubs in school are the Future Farmers of America or Future Homemakers of America? We imagine going to music concerts on the town green and attending county fairs. We picture ourselves entering the quilt contest or putting up our own pies and jams, hoping to win a blue ribbon. Maybe a mincemeat pie with just a hint of rum in it (shameless)....A simple life like Mayberry.

Do you have a place like that in your mind? A place that feels like home, even though you may have been raised in a big City. Maybe you think of Mayberry with Opie and Aunt Bee, a simple place and a simple time. I have the Mayberry cookbook and when I browse through it, I am reminded that life once was simple like that. It still is in a few small towns across America. If you live in one of those towns, you are blessed.

I live in a small gulf coast town. People still earn their living by fishing, shrimping, and farming. But more and more these jobs are being pushed out to make way for "progress". I wonder if we are not losing more than we are gaining though. There is more to a good life than making money and having the latest electronic gadgets. Is the simple life, really over for good?

I think Miss Mari-Nanci is right. We have to try to keep the simple life alive in our attitude toward life. I am always amazed at the things my children remember. They all have fond memories of Pot Roast on Sunday. Now, it's the grandchildren that rely on keeping those certain traditions alive. It has morphed into Pot Roast Saturday, but it's still a time they can count on. "Are we gonna have mashed potatoes, Grammy?" "Yes Charlotte, we have to have mashed potatoes so we will have something to slather the gravy on!"

I sure would like to have Aunt Bea in the kitchen to help clean up Pot Roast Saturday, or make one of her famous pies! ;-)

OFF TOPICThanks for the comment. I agree with you, nothing will take the place of real books. I enjoy them not just by reading them, but by seeing, touching, and yes, even smelling them. I loved the way the library smelled when I was a child.

I watched the show in the evening and want to do the same, tonight {Sun. 7PM EDT 'Aunt Bee Learns To Drive'}. I even went looking for places on the Net, to talk about 'Aunt Bee.' But mostly found places about the whole show.

And one place, had some not-nice things to say about Aunt Bee so I'd not want to stay around there. {Aren't there enough things in this world, to make fun of, that people don't have to make fun of a sweet character on an old TV show?!? Grrr...}

So in the end, I guess I'll just stay with people who appreciated her. :-) As you and some readers, seem to.

Oh Oh, I'd be in trouble with Aunt Bee! I left my crust in the oven, too long. ,-)

Yesterday Mom and I drove the short block to the convenience store/gas station. I taught her to pump gas in her car. We then went inside to pay (where can you pump first anymore-- we can!) and ran into a gentleman from my church, the same man who comes to Mom's, for free, and changes her water filter. He's lived in town all his life. Lovely, almost Mayberry.

About Me

I have three cats,,two boys and a girl and a little, eleven year old mixed dog named Solo. That's my little
girl, Meshe in the pic..She is much prettier than I am, so I chose her for my pic. I also have a very nice DH named Billy. He's a keeper.